About 25 people attended a rejuvenated committee of Statham City Council Tuesday night and heard a variety of comments about the water and sewer systems, streets and capital improvements.
The committee met at the urging of Dwight McCormic, who was elected to the council in November. Eddie Jackson, also elected in November, chaired the meeting.
Statham public works director Sam Powell and Jordan McDaniel of the water department also sat on the committee.
Council members Hattie Thrasher and Betty Lyle were in the audience. Former council member Gayle Steed also attended.
McCormic said at a council meeting the committee had “been around for years” and seldom met. He preached that residents should bring comments and information to the committee and repeated that admonition Tuesday.
Eight people spoke to the committee, and most made multiple comments. Several had complaints about the water and sewer systems.
Jackson said he intends to hold similar meetings about every six months and residents can comment on progress, or the lack of progress. He also cautioned the audience that capital improvements are expensive.
Multiple times, Jackson said older systems must be repaired before news ones can be constructed. He mentioned the water and sewer systems and sidewalk construction specifically.
See more in the May 9 edition of the Barrow News-Journal.

Regrettably - things did not go according to plan. Citizens DID step up to join with city council on this joint citizen/council committee to address water and sewer issues. Apparently groups had walked with the mayor through various water areas in Statham, some citizens offering to collect water samples. And multiple people attested that they heard the mayor "give permission" to collect the samples. It's a team project, after all!

The meeting on May 8 was supposed to be a glorious start to a beautiful relationship among the citizen/council committee, and from several accounts, the meeting itself went well.

Which is why some are baffled as to arrests two days later.

On May 10, arrest warrants were issued for two locals for the alleged "crime" of criminal trespass, as they were checking into various water locations.

Apparently - despite this joint committee project! - there are things that Statham city leaders do NOT want citizens to check or see! It was important enough to send out arrest warrants for two people, including that one of them was actually arrested twice, that same day.

Statham leaders just cannot seem to "get" transparency right with the harmless citizenry. A history of heavy-handed ugly behaviors.

That just about wraps up that "joint project," wouldn't you say?!? Which may have been the city leaders' intent all along. A façade. "Kill it" in committee. Do nothing. No accountability.

The public looks forward to hearing how this situation resolves. The truth will out.

Foolish arrests of harmless people! Like the Lofton mess. Once again imo, looks like Statham officials are using their "thug-like, apartheid-style police" for some dirty work, embroiling Jud Smith's people and the DA Brad Smith, too. What is the REAL personal political agenda here?

Why arrest? Why now? What is going on with the water and sewers in Statham? Enough to make the mayor's team get these people arrested?

One can only hope that the Barrow County sheriff and DA will pull the plug on this, and any further attempts by Statham mayor and cronies, to mess with citizens. Get to the bottom of what is going on there.

In support of the gentleman who has been jailed down in Clayton Co for several days now - - can SHERIFF JUD SMITH, or DA BRAD SMITH if able, please intervene to get this man released, or "picked up" for return to Barrow County. It has been days!

It is time the citizens held all involved agencies accountable for ugliness like this. Has Barrow County leadership learned NOTHING from the Statham/Lofton police debacle of 2015-2017?!?

Citizens' group is trying to identify all the players involved in arresting these two people for "criminal trespass" in Statham. Why weren't red flags raised all over creation, before authorizing the theft of someone's freedom and rights?

Consider: Requests to lock people up from Statham officials/police should always be "suspect" till known otherwise with certainty, IMO. Too many people have been hurt unjustly, maliciously and needlessly.

Consider: No need to be sucked into the dysfunction of Statham's bad behaviors against the citizenry, or do its dirty work, IMO.

To the two people arrested: I am very sorry that this arrest happened to you. This must be a frightening time for you and your families, which likely was the evil intent of this maneuver, in the first place imo.

I hope the jail people are treating you kindly. Stay safe. People in Statham and beyond support you.

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